Join Wireside Chat as we welcome Online MFA alum Timothy Brumbaugh! Tim was a 2022 Penmen Review Fall Fiction winner and went on to publish his first novel, Sorrow Draw, a post-apocalyptic alternate-history western, in 2024 to wide acclaim. Listen as Tim reads from his upcoming novel and answers questions about his publishing journey!

Each spring, SNHU’s online literary salon, Word for Word, honors recent graduates of the Online BA, MA, and MFA creative writing programs in a special Graduate Spotlight event. Recommended by instructors and selected by Associate Deans Jacob Powers and Paul Witcover for their high literary achievement, these outstanding writers read from and discuss their work, representing all the graduates of their respective programs. This year’s event featured five readers: Samantha Barrow (MFA), Ethan Bowers (BA), Trenton Guthrie (MA), Samantha Hensley (MA), and Brandi Shaffer (MFA.)

Join Wireside Chat as we welcome Online MFA instructor Nathanael Green! Nate's short stories, essays and articles have appeared in dozens of publications, including most recently Broad River Review and McSweeney’s Internet Tendency. He’s the co-author of three novels (Language of the Bear, Through the Narrows, and Out of the Fire) and is currently writing a historical novel inspired by ventriloquism and the 17th-century German witch trials. Tune in as we chat with Nate about the challenges of writing historical fiction, his background as an advertising copywriter, and more!

In this episode of Field Notes, we talk with Dr. Priscilla Hobbs, a cultural mythologist, to explore how a passion for stories, culture, and meaning can lead to an unexpected and rewarding career. Drawing on her work in mythology, popular culture, media and culture studies, Dr. Hobbs discusses how studying topics like Disney, Avatar, and other modern myths helped her better understand the societal values that shape our world. She shares how the humanities helped her develop key skillsets, including systems thinking, that now support her work as an academic leader.

Word for Word is doing its part to prove love is real with special guest Chuck Tingle, the self-proclaimed world's greatest author! Chuck Tingle is a USA Today bestselling author, as well as a two time Hugo Award finalist, Bram Stoker Award nominee, Goodreads award nominee, Golden Poppy award finalist, Locus award winner, Dragon Award winner, Audie Award winner and the recipient of the 2025 Loud Hands Award for Autistic Storytellers. He is a mysterious force of energy behind sunglasses and a pink mask. He is also an anonymous author of romance, horror, and fantasy. Chuck was born in Home of Truth, Utah, and now lives in Los Angeles, California. He writes to prove love is real, because love is the most important tool we have when resisting the endless cosmic void.

Graphic design alum Dawn Hall shares her career journey in user experience design. Dawn explains what UX designers do day to day and reflects on why UX has been such a strong fit for her as an artist. For those who love art, design, collaboration, and problem-solving but are still figuring out where those strengths can lead, this conversation offers an inspiring look at the growing world of UX design.

Wireside Chat is thrilled to welcome the Queen of Cosmic Horror, Mary SanGiovanni! Mary is an award-winning horror and thriller writer of over twenty cosmic horror and supernatural thriller books, as well as numerous short stories, comics (including a Wonder Woman story for DC), a media tie-in book in the Alien franchise, and several works of nonfiction. Her writing has been translated internationally. She has an MFA in writing popular fiction from Seton Hill University, Pennsylvania, and is currently a member of the Authors Guild, the International Thriller Writers and Penn Writers, as well as an instructor in the Online MFA. Join us as we talk about horror, tie-in writing, comics and more!

In this History Speaker Series event, we catch up with Dr. Matt Schandler to discuss advances in generative artificial intelligence in the year since his last appearance, and we talk about the historical skills that still matter in an AI world.